Modern distribution of utility type service such as cable TV, electricity, or telephones requires junction boxes so that the particular utility service can be brought into an area from a utility pole or buried transmission line and distributed from the junction box to the local subscribers to the service. This is the general arrangement found in condominium and apartment complexes. Because coaxial cable for TV cable and the transmission lines for electric and telephone service are complex and carry live current, they can only be successfully cut, tapped, or spliced by a trained technician using sophisticated equipment. However, connections to an unattended junction box are simple, and transmission cable and connectors can be readily obtained at most radio and television supply houses at modest cost. Monthly service charges for cable television service continues to increase, and the available services are also increased by adding movies, sports, and other special programming which all tend to make cable TV more attractive and increase the incentive for an unauthorized tap at a junction box.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a device which will prevent unauthorized tapping at a junction box which is located at or near ground level.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is simple to install and to remove by authorized personnel yet is sufficiently sturdy so that an unauthorized person would be frustrated in attempts to gain access to the junction boxes.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide protection from the elements and from vandalism for junction boxes, thus prolonging the lifetime of such equipment and maintaining the quality of transmission.
Many anti-theft devices are known in the prior art which are designed to protect property which is left unattended. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,824 which issued on June 19, 1984 to Gary J. Wood and is entitled "Beach Locker", a device is disclosed in which an auger which can be bored into the sand firmly anchors a beach locker in the sand. The auger drive mechanism is such that when a drive member is pulled up through the container top and engaged with a padlock to secure the container shut, the drive member disengages from the main auger shaft so that it is impossible to rotate the shaft by rotating the container because it free-wheels. Other patents of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,916,539 issued Dec. 8, 1959 to Hamilton, 3,652,779 issued on Mar. 28, 1972 to Grinols, 3,812,279 issued on May 21, 1974 to Voegeli, and 3,819,847 issued on June 25, 1974 to Charles.
In contrast against the prior art, the present invention provides a device not heretofore known and accomplishes the above-mentioned objects and provides advantages which will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the summary of the invention set forth below and after referring to the attached drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiment.